Dance Like Waves
by SparkleMouse
Summary: Her feet slide off the raft and into the chilled pool and she breathes, listening to him inside the house; the clattering of dishes as they slide into place in the dishwasher; the music he puts on - Petty or Springsteen - she can't entirely tell with the roar of the ocean in her ears. *Season 5, but no actual spoilers*


On a dark blue float, Kate drifts, staring up at the starry night sky. The waves from the Atlantic rumble just beyond Castle's home and it's calming out here this late, nothing but the lights from his patio, the gleam of moonlight as it casts over the water. Her feet slide off the raft and into the chilled pool and she breathes, listening to him inside the house; the clattering of dishes as they slide into place in the dishwasher; the music he puts on - Petty or Springsteen - she can't entirely tell with the roar of the ocean in her ears.

"Hey, Kate?" She lifts her head, the wet ends of her hair sticking to her bare shoulders. He's leaning out the sliding glass doors and he looks so _good_, tan and muscular, without a care in the world. "Do you want wine?"

"Yeah. I'll get out-"

"Stay." He walks over, pulling the raft by the head until it reaches the edge, pressing his soft lips against hers. She can taste the Merlot that still moistens his lips, and she braces her hand behind his neck, deepening the kiss, moaning at the slide of his tongue against hers. "I'll be right back," he breathes, another soft kiss. "Feel free to be naked when I return."

Kate rolls her eyes and pushes off from the side so she's floating again. "Never gonna happen, Castle."

She must drift off, the lull of the water a constant companion, because suddenly he's jumping in, and she grips the edge of the raft to keep from tumbling over. She glares at him and reaches for the beach ball that's about to float past, colors spinning as it twirls over the ripples he's made. She throws it at him, misses his head by centimeters, a complete splat in the water. Castle picks it up, tossing it into the air; if he realizes that she was aiming for him, he ignores it.

"Come play with me."

"Are you paying me to babysit you?"

"Given what we did this morning on the dining room table, I'm not entirely sure that's an appropriate comment." He swims over to her, crouching low enough so the water fills up to his shoulders. "Alexis set up the basketball net last weekend when she was here. I'll let you go first."

There's a mischievous look in his eyes, a smirk that lifts his lips and she agrees because he's looking at her like _that_, like he wants nothing more than to make her happy, to see her have fun.

"No pouting when I win."

The ball lands in one hand, palm splayed open and he hands it off to her. "_If_ you win."

With as much agility as she can muster, Kate sits up, turning until her feet dangle into the cool water. The sides of the raft lift up, water pooling all around her, and fuck it; she pushes off of it until she's standing in five inches, the float meandering its way across the pool. She tosses the oversized ball at the mesh hoop. It rounds the rim, slides into the slot-

and gets stuck.

"Huh, beach ball is probably not the best replacement for basketball." The disappointment on his face nearly makes her laugh and she takes a step closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Did you use your civilian investigator skills to figure that one out?" Kate teases.

"You joke, but you know your days would be incredibly boring without my brilliant theories and rapier wit. Plus, who else would seduce you in the break room?" She opens her mouth for a rebuttal but he's shaking his head, drops of water drizzling through the air. "And if you say Esposito, I will spend the rest of the night in a deep depression."

"I guess we can't have that." She kisses him softly, touches her tongue to the seam of his lips. "Where's my wine?"

"On the table. You were still wearing your bathing suit when I came out here."

"Oh, so this is punishment?" She can't help but laugh, because he just makes her _happy_ in ways she never expected; turned her into the lead of romantic comedies with independence still intact but something more, something that existed but had been buried deep within. Her lips nuzzle his cheek, inhaling the remaining aftershave from this morning, the salt of the Hamptons. "You've seen me without clothes on. The mystery has been solved."

"I haven't seen you naked in my pool." His fingers nimbly play with the strings of her bikini top – not untying, just teasing – and he lowers the cup covering her right breast, swiping his thumb over her taut nipple. She arches against the hand that still remains on her back, the slow roaming caress causing her body to shiver.

"You're like a horny college freshman on spring break."

Castle laughs, amused and his finger falls out of her top and she can breathe again, a balm to her lungs. "What does that make you then?"

The smile blooms over her face. "Shut up."

The wind whips harshly in that moment and she shivers, slinking down so it's nothing but her head sticking out, the pool suddenly warmer than the night. She can see her glass of red on the patio table and she wants it, is willing to risk the cold for the taste of ripened cherries on her tongue, the slightest hint of oak. She lifts her legs to push off from his thighs when he grabs her ankles and she screams, filled with joy and surprise. She's floating on her back now, his hands anchoring her, the sky brilliant and bright and phenomenal above her.

"Stay a little while longer."

_Forever._

It's the first thing that comes into her head, heart beating wildly because it wasn't what she expected and yet it's been four years – no, thirteen years – leading up to this, to him.

"So, Beckett, I had no idea you were such an incredible cook."

"I've cooked for you before."

"I'm not talking about breakfast. I'm talking about whatever Italian feast you concocted from scratch tonight. You're better than _me_ at cooking. How did I never know this_?"_

Kate kicks her legs, breaking free of his grasp. She goes under, brushing her hair away from her eyes as she floats back up to the surface. He's standing in front of her, eyes alight with the moon, with his dedication to her and she reaches up, rubs her hand over his smooth cheek. "Come on, Castle. We both know I'm better than you at a lot of things."

"I'd be offended but I really can't refute that."

"Give me one afternoon in your kitchen during winter. I make the best chili ever, hands down."

Castle wraps his arms around the small of her back, fingers clasped. She leans back in his embrace and then she's around him, legs around his waist and he's holding her up, walking lazily across the pool, like he doesn't know he's even moving. "Too soon to propose?"

"Given the fact that our friends don't know we're dating yet, yeah, maybe too soon. Speaking of, I do think it's time."

"To get naked?"

She rolls her eyes, flicking water at him. "Hate you."

"Love you, too." He stops his descent around the circumference of the pool, glancing up at her. "What about Gates?"

"Letting that go for a second, we both decided to keep this quiet so we could figure it out without everyone else's input. We've done that, haven't we?"

Castle nods, his smile wide and she realizes she's done this to him, that after everything he can look at her like that and _know. _"It's because of this place, isn't it? You're never going to leave me because you love my beach house."

"That and the Ferrari. Do you know how hard it is to find a man with a car in Manhattan? Let alone a car with a six speed semi-automatic transmission that can go from zero to a hundred in six seconds."

He groans loan in his throat, lips skirting over her clavicle. "It's a shame you went back to the precinct. You could have sold cars to suckers like me you would have asked for _test drives_."

"Too easy." She runs her fingers through his hair, soft and silky. She waits until he's looking at her again, feels his arms tighten, readjusting his grip. "We can't lie to them forever, Castle. If this is it-" She takes in a breath, dispels it. "We're in this. I don't know what happens at work. We fight to keep you there and if not-"

"If not, I can always be your partner through Facetime. Sneak me peeks of the murder board when Gates isn't looking, I can spin theory at home in my underwear-"

"Isn't that what you do now, Castle?" she teases.

"Only from the hours of midnight to five a.m. Now I can do it _all the time_. I'll bring my sad little chair home so it doesn't get lonely and place it next to my desk, recreating the scene of sorts. I can hire those poor imitations of Ryan and Esposito and make them come in and out with information about aliens and CIA conspiracies and they'll think I'm a genius." He draws his hand over her bare shoulder. "You're sure about this?"

"Changed my mind, if only to spare everyone else their sanity."

"Just for that-"

He throws her off of him and she catapults into the water, sinking to the bottom. He's on her before she reaches the surface, tangled limbs as they spin, coming up for air together. They've somehow made it to the edge of the pool –four feet deep – the concrete behind her, the float gliding past. "You are such an ass." She writhes against him, slick and wet, mouth at his ear. "And just for that," she whispers, "I'm not getting naked."

Castle brushes his hand up her back, his fingertips tangling in the ends of her hair. He kisses her, slow and lazy, tongue tracing her lips before sliding inside her mouth. She sighs softly, because they both know she _is_ going to take off the bathing suit – here or inside – it doesn't actually matter. His hands fist her hair as he tilts her head, devouring her and she arches into him. Everything else is white noise in the moment: the ocean, the cacophony of crickets, all of it except for the moan he breathes against her lips.

"You sure about that?" he murmurs, kissing the side of her mouth. He rubs the back of his hands over her clavicle, down her arms, until he reaches her thigh. He slides a finger inside of her, heart beating rapidly and her eyes slam shut because the way his fingers move, _oh, _it's been months and she's still not entirely used to this, to the way he knows each dip and curve of her as if he's created her himself.

"You're wet." He adds another digit, curling them with an agonizingly slow pace. The pressure from the water builds with each movement and she can't breathe, she can't-

"It's a pool," she manages.

He slips his fingers out of her, pressing them to her lips and she can smell herself on him, musky and desperate and completely aroused. "Not what I meant." Kate's teeth clamp down on his pointer and middle fingers, rolling her tongue over the pads, and he groans. The suction of her mouth loosens around his finger with a gentle pop. "Shit, Kate. You really don't fight fair."

"Four years, Castle. You should know I'd rather fight dirty."

"You're incredible, you know that?"

"Really? You're going with flattery?"

"I figured I'd give it a shot. What if I toss in the whole I've written books about you, I give us great sex scenes, I'm in love with you?"

She pretends to consider it for a moment, calming the flutter in her heart, and shakes her head. "Old news."

"What about-"

He shuts up the moment she slides down his body, pressed all around him, space nothing but a myth. He wants her; that much is painfully obvious and she brushes her hand over him, lips lifting in a wry smile at the way he shivers, amazed at the way his eyes darken underneath the light. She steps out of her black bottoms, one foot at a time as she grasps his shoulder to keep her balance.

"It's not about the books or the sex scenes," she says, letting her body buoy to his. "It's about all the times I pushed you away and you came back."

"Kate-"

The strings holding up her top loosen easily as she lets them go, the cool breeze hitting her breasts. "It's about the all the ways you let me into your life like I belonged there." It falls; floating, curving, dancing until it reaches the bottom.

"I knew you'd give in," he croaks, the timbre of his voice rough, deep.

She lowers her hand between them, gently squeezing him and he gasps. "Don't let it go to your – _head_." She hums, letting the anticipation buzz across her lips. "I guess it's too late for that."

"You think you're so clever, don't you?"

"I've learned from the best."

Castle grips her waist, tattooing fingerprints on the jut of her hips underneath the water. The feel of his lips on hers chills her body as she melts into him. It's a gentle pressure like he's discovering her all over again, his hands roaming over her bare body. It still amazes her that his touches and the stroke of his tongue says _I love you_ maybe more than the words themselves and she gives it back to him, sliding her hers into his mouth, stepping closer as if he can swallow her whole. His palm coasts down her stomach, fingers sliding inside of her, the rush of the water heightening her senses. He curls them, a rhythmic pattern and she's gripping his biceps, keening low in her throat .

"Castle."

It comes out choked and she's gripping the stark concrete, thrusting into his palm, clenching around his fingers. Her feet are grounded to the floor but the night is spinning around her, her legs becoming liquid as he works her into the frenzy and she can't breathe, wants him deeper until he's filling all of her, until-

"Aren't you glad you took off that bathing suit now?" Castle goads and she blinks, teetering on the edge, the rush of the pool a poor substitute for the loss of his fingers. "You're so close, Kate." He lifts her and she's wrapping her legs around him. He's staring at her with those intense eyes, his thumb now slowly circling her.

Her head falls back onto her shoulders. "Then maybe now is not the best time for you to stop?"

Castle chuckles, tongue sliding down the long column of her neck. "Mmm, but I love watching that moment when you start to gain control again. Your eyes clear, your breathing slows and then-" He thrusts his fingers up into her, thumb still working in feverish ways, and she gasps; the white hot blaze of her orgasm hits unyielding. "You let go," he whispers, breathing it into a kiss.

She rides out the constant motion of his fingers, the night filtering back into her vision. The wall behind her is rough, but she can't move, doesn't want to when she feels how hard he is, how just watching her break is always enough for him. She manages to slide his trunks over his ass, gripping his erection in the palm of her hand. She twists her wrist, massaging him and he grabs onto her hips; it's feral what passes through his lips, garbled words that she never can make out. She grazes his tip against her, moans at the friction, and then he's inside her, their entire evening nothing but a web of foreplay leading to this.

It's fast; nails digging into skin, the way he sinks and drives into her with reckless abandon; his hands gripped around her in complete control. He's biting on her bottom lip when he comes, pulling it between his teeth, filling her with heat and warmth until it pushes her over the edge and she follows.

"I love this house," Kate mumbles, sliding down his body.

"See? I knew you just wanted me for this."

"Sex or the house?"

"Both?"

She grins, pecking his lips before lifting herself out of the pool. The air feels incredible over her heated skin and she reaches for her wine glass, taking a long sip. She's standing there – bare – like she's on some nude beach in the South of France and yet it somehow doesn't bother her, not when Castle's looking at her like this, eyes roaming every spare inch of her like he hasn't just devoured her. Twice.

She walks slowly to him, bending down, breasts swaying at his eye level. He licks his lips and she holds out the glass teasingly. "Wine?"

"Sure." It comes out cracked, aroused and he clears his throat. "Sure."

Kate hands him the Merlot, about to slip into the pool when she sees the orange ball hiding under one of his shrubs. She bends down to grab it, stays a second too long knowing he's watching.

"Wanna play?" she asks, before dropping back into the pool.

"Naked basketball? Let it be known, Beckett, that you are the most awesome girlfriend _ever."_

She aims the basketball at the hoop. It hits the backboard, shooting straight into the net. "I ever tell you I played in high school? Varsity."

"Nothing you do surprises me anymore," he says, but she knows it's not true, knows by the way he looks at her that he's teasing.

"I guess we're going to have to do something about that." She dives under the water, coming up for air when she reaches him. She wraps her arms around his neck, whispers in his ear. His arms tighten around her, sputtering on a cough.

"Okay." Castle clears his throat. "Yeah, that's, uh, that's surprising. You can really do that?"

"You haven't gotten me figured out quite yet, Castle. Still a ton of surprises."

"Show me?"

She tosses him the ball. "You gotta win first."

Game on.


End file.
